Call me Bones, damn it!
by stevieLUVSAlex
Summary: When Booth returns to the US, he starts calling Bones, Brennan, and she doesn't like it... nor does she like the woman he brought with him. Will she FINALLY be honest about her feelings. Find out in this B&B romance.
1. Unwanted reunion

_A/N: I came up with this short idea AGES ago, and then when I heard about Horrid Hannah __**(evil troll of a woman, we already dislike with large intensity and we don't EVEN know her yet. :{ **__I couldn't resist using the idea to create this two-shot… I think I may have turned the characters a little OOC though. Have a good-read :)_

365 days, it had been 365 days since I had last seen him at the airport. His hair parted in the middle, dressed in his army uniform and looking like he was about to cry. I carry that around with me, that image of him, despite my want for ridding it from my mind. It wasn't a nice image, I could think of better. He and I, laughing at the diner, at Founding Fathers… he and I, alone in his apartment drinking beer. There had been many occasions where his eyes watched me with such intensity that I couldn't breathe.

We had arranged to meet here, at the reflecting pool, by the coffee cart. So here I was. Two cups of coffee in hand, sipping on one and the other eagerly awaiting the embrace of his hands. Oh God… how I couldn't wait to see him, hear his voice. 365 days had been more than I could bear. I had discovered things about myself, about my emotions towards him. Time had not changed anything for me, it had only heightened the feelings I was so desperate to suppress.

My eyes scanned the area, in hope of finding the familiar face, my heart pounding in anticipation against the wall of my chest. He'd be here soon.

"Brennan!" the name didn't fit the voice, as she snapped her neck towards the sound.

It was him.

All thoughts were forgotten as he approached me. He hadn't changed all that much in a year. He still had the same build in body, the same color hair, the same wrinkles… the only difference was the dark sadness in his eyes. My hand seemed to have a mind of its own, as it reached out and touched his face, ever so gently.

"Booth," I whispered.

"Brennan… hi," he looked composed, not at all like I would have imagined our first reunion. But he was here. I had no expectations, no plans, I was just happy to see him. Happy that he hadn't played the hero and been killed.

I smiled weakly, as a strange sinking feeling filled my stomach. It was the second time he had greeted me by my surname and not by the endearing nickname he had been calling me since we'd met. I wasn't sure I liked it.

"I want you to meet someone," he announced. It was only then that I noticed a woman standing there beside him, a woman who was linking his arm; the way that girlfriends clung to boyfriends. The sinking feeling was evident in my stomach now. I didn't like that feeling.

"Hi…" the woman greeted holding out a hand. "My name is Hannah!"

"Dr. Temperance Brennan," I responded shaking her hand in a very business-like way. I didn't know her, and I didn't care for her, but by the look on Booth's face, I knew that he did.

"This is my girlfriend…" he explained. "We met in Afghanistan."

"He's pretty amazing," Hannah smiled locking eyes with Booth.

Anger and bitter rose to my throat like vile. I _hated_ her. It was completely irrational to hate someone on impulse, to hate someone I didn't know, but my feelings were real. I HATED her!

"I have some important documents I need to look at," I told him, feeling an instant headache come on. "I have to get back to the Jeffersonian."

"Are you sure… what about coffee?" Booth asked. Was that disappointment I saw flash across his face?

"No, I really have to get back."

Booth gestured to the coffee in my hand. "Is that… was that for me?"

"No," I denied. I didn't want him to know that I had been waiting for him, and eagerly purchased two coffees, in the hope of sticking around to converse about the past year and the plans I had for the two of us, if he was willing. "I purchased two. I have to go…"

As I walked away from them, I felt a stabbing pain in my chest, the ache was unique. I never felt it before. I felt like crying, which wasn't like me, I didn't show my emotions that way. I knew how to hide my feelings. I knew how to bury the pain in the deep recesses of mind and never let them out again. But this was different… this was painful.

I stormed into the Jeffersonian and ran straight into Angela, my heart pounding erratically. "I HATE HER!" I spat.

"Hate who sweetie?" she asked with a frown, her hand resting on her swollen belly. Angela and Hodgins were having a baby; she had called me from Paris weeks ago to break the news. I was happy for her, and I was going to be happy with Booth… until Horrid Hannah came along. She ruined everything.

"Hannah," I stated bitterly.

Angela rubbed circles across my back. "Calm down, Bren, what happened… who is Hannah."

"Booth's girlfriend," I admitted.

"Oh," she smiled sympathetically. I hated when people did that, as if I wasn't living in my own self-pity pool of shame, I had to drag out the pity from my friends too. "I'm sorry…"

"I had plans, Angela…" I confessed. This wasn't at all how I usually worked. I liked to think about things, analyze them in my brain. I didn't go off on a tangent spilling my feelings out like a bucket of H20. But here I was, unable to stop my mouth working faster than my brain had a chance to warn me to stop. "I had things to say… and now I have all these feelings in me… I want to explode. I HATE her. I HATE Booth!" I stated shocked by my own statement. Did I really feel _that_ strongly?

Angela sympathized.

"It's jealousy, sweetie…" she explained.

"I am NOT jealous!"

"You have feelings of bitterness… anger… frustration… all of them irrational?" she asked.

I thought about it. "Yes."

"Its jealousy," she shrugged.

I groaned, and stomped my feet as I went towards my office. "You're no help Angela!" I called over my shoulder. What would SHE know about jealousy?

_What did you think? Is it worth reading the next chapter… I'll give it to you, if you give me a review :)_


	2. JUST work

_A/N: I had the intention of ending it HERE! But I had a load of reviews, and I figured I had an idea that I could shove in the middle. So the story will still be short, but instead of a two-shot it will be three or four. THANK YOU to everyone who has alerted and reviews. I hope the longer length doesn't bother you :)_

_Ps. I'm sorry if Bren seems OOC, this is the first – first person – story I've ever posted. _

I felt Booth's presence even before I looked up, I felt the weight of his footsteps as he strolled into the lab. My eyes fleeted up to meet his, and my stomach seemed to twist my intestines together. I didn't like that feeling.

"Hey Brennan," he greeted. I flinched at the name. His body language told me that he was uncomfortable.

"I'm working," I said. I refocused my attention on the bones in front of me. It was easier on my stomach when I wasn't looking directly at him. That man did something to me, the chemical reactions in my body exploded when he was around. Men…

"Brennan, I've barely seen you since I got back, I'd like to catch up," he stated. I felt his eyes scanning my body, and I tensed.

"I'm busy," I repeated.

"So am I! Come on, Bren-"

I shot my eyes up and glared at him. There was something about him calling me Brennan, was so impersonal, so cold and indifferent. He was nothing like the man that had left me at the airport. I still craved him, I still wanted him, I still missed him. "I'm working, Booth. I'm busy. I have a lot of remains to go over…" okay, so I lied. I was more than ahead in my work. It was the cases in Limbo that were never-ending.

"You can't take a break for half an hour, to catch up with an old friend?" he challenged.

"No!" I denied. I didn't want to have to face Hannah again. Hannah with her perfect complexion and friendly smile, Hannah with her wondering eyes on the man that had loved me first. Oh, how I HATED Hannah.

Booth threw his hands into the air with an added expression of frustration crossing his face. "Fine," he yelled. "Forget it. I won't bother. Just… WORK!" his tone was bitter.

But so was my heart.

He slammed the door behind him.

_Now just to be fair, I have never met Hannah, I have yet to see the new season… so those of you who have… STOP BRAGGING! But I assume that she is evil, or maybe I want to think that… because she STOLE Booth from Brennan… no, that's not true either. It's kind of like Fiona in McLeod's Daughters. I'll hate her whether she's good or bad, just because she is another roadblock to our SOULMATE couple getting together. :)_

_The next chapter is a conversation between Angela and Bren… review if you want it!_


	3. Jealousy is irrational

_A/N: Okay, as promised the next chapter… _

Angela poked her head around the corner. "Hey sweetie… is it safe to come in?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" I frowned.

"You're not gonna bite my head off?"

I hated it when Angela spoke like that. I assumed she wasn't talking literally. I was completely against cannibalism. I had to assume she was speaking metaphorically.

"No," I answered.

Angela stepped onto the platform in the lab and peered around to make sure we were alone.

"What do you want, Ang, I'm busy!" I had been using that as an excuse A LOT lately. I didn't want to stop and have a conversation, it was easier to compartmentalize when the issue wasn't thrust before me every minute of every day.

I hadn't heard from Booth in nearly a week, which was all the better for me. Really, it was, I didn't miss him at all, I kept myself busy in work and… the arrogant FBI agent could go off and do whatever he wanted with his stupid perfect complexion girlfriend. I didn't care. OKAY, okay, so I cared. I cared a LOT! But that was MY private thoughts, no one else needed to be in one them.

"I want to talk to you…" she said cautiously, keeping her distance. I wasn't going hit her for goodness sake.

"So talk…" I pretended to be peering at the remains of a Caucasian male, mid-20's.

"I wanted to apologize about the other day… what I said about you being jealous, I was-"

"Its fine," I shrugged. I was indifferent. I wasn't jealous. Angela just had a wild imagination.

"Bren, I…"

I hated that name now. I flinched.

"Really, Angela, it's fine. I'm okay," I assured her.

She didn't look like she believed me.

"Alright," she nodded. "So you met Hannah, huh? She seems nice…"

"Yeah," I mumbled. Would they EVER stop talking about the niceness that surrounded this woman? It was driving me into the ground, metaphorically speaking, of course.

"I had lunch with her yesterday," Angela admitted.

My eyes shot up to meet hers, and that anger and bitterness overwhelmed me.

"See…" she pointed out. "You ARE jealous!"

"I am NOT!" I denied. "Jealousy is an irrational emotion and I…"

"Bren, sweetie…"

"NO!" I snapped. "I'm busy Angela."

She turned to walk away.

"And I would appreciate it if you refrain from using HER name or HIS… in my presence!"

Angela sighed. "And you say you're NOT jealous," she muttered slamming the door.

I allowed her comment to go over my head, and I peered down at the remains on the table. Bones were much easier to read than people.

OKAY… LAST chapter next… you want it… you review… and thank you, everyone… you are ALL amazing for taking a look at this LAME story. NOT my best. :)


	4. Free

_A/N: WOW… I never thought I'd have such loyal readers for this story… NOT my best. I could have tried a HELL of a lot harder, but I am trying to work on my own novels, I just couldn't leave this idea and let it disappear. So thank you all for reading, alerting and favorite. YAY for all of you. :)_

I somehow managed to compartmentalize the situation. I withdrew all emotions and feelings regarding Booth and Hannah, and stood clear from either of them whenever I could. I didn't offer to go out in the field with Booth, and he rarely asked. I continued my work in the lab, where I felt the most comfortable. I no longer appreciated being out of my comfort zone. It was much easier to be in the comforts of familiarity and the people that allowed the situation of Booth & Hannah's new-found romance to be left OUTSIDE of my lab.

Angela and I had agreed to leave the conversation out the door… okay, so I demanded that ANGELA leave the conversation out the door. I didn't want to mention Booth, I didn't want to discuss his relationship with Hannah, and I didn't want to hear the word _jealousy_ rear its ugly head ever again. I was busy with work… and my writing, and that was it!

But I couldn't help it when Booth came into my office unannounced, babbling about never getting to spend time together anymore. He basically demanded that I finish my work then and there and go with him to the Royal Diner. I fought him on it, tooth and nail, unwilling to be told what to do. He was not my boss, I was in control… but he won… it was Booth. All he had to do was stand in that powerful way he did and grin that perfect God-sent smile and I was a goner. Geez, the man had power, like the miracles of Jesus… not that I believed in Jesus, I was speaking metaphorically.

I finally caved, and the two of us went to the diner for lunch. But I wasn't happy about it. I pouted, and all Booth did was laugh at me, which made me angry.

"You never even told me how the Maluku Islands were?" he pressed as we ordered coffee, and Booth ordered pie. I don't like pie. Never could understand why someone wanted their fruit cooked.

"It was good," I lied. I left out the part where I had pinned for him day after day for an entire year, balancing the choice between staying or going to Afghanistan to see him and tell him how I was feeling. "I discovered a lot about bones… and history… even learnt something about myself," I admitted subtly.

"What did you learn about yourself?" he asked looking interested.

My eyes locked on his, and that THING happened, where I struggled to breathe. It had been a long time since I felt that, and it took me by surprise. He held my stare for a long time, determined for an answer, I wasn't sure I could give him.

"Brennan…" he pushed.

The bitterness and anger rose in me again, and I couldn't help ask. "What happened to _BONES_?"

He frowned. "What?"

"You don't call me _Bones_ anymore… you call me Brennan," I stated. "WHY?"

"I didn't notice," his eyes moved to the right, and I knew he was lying.

"_Seeley_?"

He flinched.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" I challenged.

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Your pupils moved to the right, Booth… that is a clear indication that you are not entirely truthful," I stated matter-of-factly. I could always tell when he was lying.

He looked down at his shoes.

"Tell me, please…" I ordered.

He hesitated. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes," I nodded firmly. His reasons had to make more sense than his NOT calling me by the name that he had since we'd met. Brennan sounded so strange rolling off his tongue.

"Alright…" he said. "But you can't be mad."

"BOOTH!" my patience levels were low. I couldn't stand the suspense.

"I felt the need to distance myself," he said.

"From me?" I felt that stabbing in my chest again. I shifted on my feet.

"I needed to think about Hannah… and I knew that if I made things personal between us, or brought back the past, I would find it harder to…"

"What Booth?" I asked oblivious to what he was trying to tell me.

"I would find it harder to let go," he sighed.

"Let go of me?" I guessed. My heart rate increased by his words, and I felt an overwhelming urge to touch him. I refrained.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You're special Bones- Bren- DAMN IT!"

I suppressed a smile. He still cared somewhat about me. That was a good sign… I think. I'd have to ask Angela and she could determine the meaning his words for me, just to be sure.

"This is what I CAN'T do!" he stated standing from the stool. "I'm sorry, I thought that we could be friends, and go back to the way things were but… I just can't."

"Why?" I panicked. A life without Booth… I didn't want it.

I had learned a lot about myself in Indonesia, and about my feelings for Booth. I had discovered that no amount of time could change what I felt, and that my running away wasn't going to make the feelings go away. If nothing else, it made them stronger. I had learnt to trust myself, and believe in trusting someone else… not just anyone else, but Booth. I didn't want him to leave me… I would only fall back to old habits and I couldn't do that, not to myself. I had learnt too much to return to the past.

"Because I can't do this to myself!" he spat. "I can't pretend that everything is the same, or that it doesn't hurt to be around you. I can't allow myself to go back to the place that makes me feel so bad."

"I make you feel bad?" I frowned.

"Yes," he admitted. "But only because you don't want the same things that I do."

"But I do, Booth… I want what you want," I whispered.

He looked up to meet my eyes.

"Bones, I…"

"Seeley?" a voice behind us dropped his eyes away from me.

He turned to see Hannah standing beside him.

"Hannah," he stood quickly and embraced her in an awkward hug. She seemed to notice, and took a step back. She looked across at me.

"Hello, Dr. Brennan," she greeted.

"Hannah," I nodded. I could feel the tension between us, and I wanted to run. I preferred excusing myself from situations that made me uncomfortable.

"I've been watching the two of you…" she confessed. "From across the diner,"

Booth's face, seem to turn a pale shade. "Hannah, I can explain…"

Explain what? I wondered. I didn't realize there had been an issue with two former partners sharing a lunch at the diner. But then I was oblivious to the modern ways of pop culture. There were many references that Booth had to explain to me. She raised a hand in protest. "I don't want to hear it," she shrugged. "I think I know what's going on here…"

"You do?" I asked.

"Bones," he warned.

I smiled. He called me _BONES_.

"Hannah, I was just talking about-"

"We don't have to do this," she interrupted. "In fact, I'd rather not. I think maybe you and Dr. _Bones_ need to compare notes. I can see that she's crazy about you, and the way you talked about her in Afghanistan, you're crazy about her…"

"Hannah!"

She shook her head. "Goodbye, Booth," she leaned over and brushed her lips gracefully against his cheek, as I sat watching in stunned silence. How could she gather that information about me? When she knew so little about me, we had barely had a conversation, and yet she had depicted my emotions so easily.

Booth and I watched as she walked out the door.

He turned to me, looking almost angry. "I can't believe you…" he stated.

"ME? What did I do?"

"You sat back and watched her say all those things, and you didn't deny them?" he accused.

"I didn't know you wanted me to," I admitted. I would have, it I had known that was what he wanted from me. I couldn't help hearing the words flash across my mind _the way you talked about her in Afghanistan_… had he talked about me a lot? What did he say?

"I would have liked you to tell the truth for once," he barked.

"I did," I said matter-of-factly. "I told the truth by staying silent!"

He flopped back down on the stool beside me. He looked stunned.

"You… are you saying you're crazy about me?"

"Not in those words," I said easily. It was strange how easily the feelings rolled off my tongue. "I would have used the word LOVE… I think."

A strange smile crossed his lips. "You love me?"

"I think so," I shrugged. "In the way that you always described it."

"You want to be with me?" he pushed.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Be my girlfriend?"

"YES!" I laughed.

He nodded. "Alright," he stood from the stool again, this time moving closer towards me. I didn't flinch. I didn't back down. I allowed my emotions to lead, and when he leaned down to kiss me, I let him. I entwined my fingers in his hair, eagerly pulling myself closer to him.

What I felt… was free.

_I hope it wasn't too tacky. lol… it didn't turn out the way I wanted it to, but hopefully it was okay. I'm not so great at first person where Bren is concerned. I probably could do Booth better. Lol. Reviews help me know what you like and what you don't… :)_


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